The Hidden Work of Being a Participant: Untangling: The Workshop Series

A practical online series for autistic, neurodivergent and chronically ill people navigating support systems and services.

The Hidden Work of Being a Participant

Lived experience edition.

Being a participant involves more than meetings and paperwork. There’s invisible labour which can be hard to put into words.

How can we learn from peers and community to build resources to manage the hidden work involved with being an NDIS participant?

This session is about naming and managing this invisible work.

In this workshop, we’ll explore:

• the cognitive load of participation
• decision fatigue and the weight of 'choice and control'
• common experiences and identity shifts
• creating admin rhythms and reusable systems
• how much engagement is actually required
• permission to stop over-optimising everything

Who this is for
Autistic, neurodivergent, and chronically ill participants actively navigating the NDIS who want to make it more manageable.

Format

• Online via Google Meet
• 90 minutes (75 minutes content + 15 minutes Q&A / discussion)
• Participate in any way that you'd prefer - there is no expectation for you to have your camera on or to interact in any way

This workshop will also be recorded and sent out with slides and resources after the event. Only Cassie and the slides will be recorded, no attendees will be visible.

About the facilitator
Untangling is facilitated by Cassie, a social worker and the founder of Nearish Support. Her work is grounded in lived experience and centres the often unseen labour of navigating support systems, with a focus on accessibility, sustainability, and care.

Untangling: The Workshop Series

Untangling is a new workshop series focused on the lived experience of navigating support: the thinking, planning, decision-making, communication, and emotional labour that sits underneath formal systems and services.

Designed for autistic, neurodivergent, and chronically ill people, the series offers practical, affirming support to help reduce overwhelm and build supports that genuinely fit real life.

• 25 March 2026: Where Do I Even Begin?
• 8 April 2026: Building Your Support Team
• 22 April 2026: The People Part
• 6 May 2026: So. Much. Change.
• 20 May 2026: The Hidden Work of Being a Participant
• 3 June 2026: When You Know the System from Both Sides

Payment Options

• Standard ticket
• Reduced fee
• NDIS friendly invoicing (standard ticket rate)

This workshop may or may not be a support that can be accessed through your NDIS Plan depending on your specific situation and plan. At the checkout select 'Payment through NDIS Plan' and we will confirm invoicing details with you before sending an invoice to you or your plan manager after the event.

Line item options include:

• Core - 01_134_0117_8_1 - Capacity Building and Training in Self Management and Plan Management
• Improved Daily Living - 15_037_0117_1_3 - Skill Development And Training
• Improved Social and Community Participation - 09_009_0117_6_3 - Skills Development and Training